Finance and I haven’t always been friends
I was rubbish at managing what little money I had in my 20s. I racked up all sorts of credit card debt and it took me way too long to pay off my HECS.
The thing I was good at – thanks to a) introversion b) a mother who worked in libraries and c) an Arts degree – was writing.
The best two things I’ve ever done
1. Face money head-on – having never written about finance in my life, I strode into Virgin Money about 15 years ago. They hired me as a short-term freelance writer, then took me on full time.
2. Learn from my mistakes – I’m paying off a house not a credit card, my super is doing alright, I have money in savings for emergencies, and I’m making a real go of this finance writing thing.
The moral of the story
Everyone deserves the right to be on top of their cashflow, no matter how much or little they have, or whatever stage of life they’re at. So here I am today, doing the do with oodles of insight and understanding, for some of the most talked-about brands in Australian finance.
Death to jargon is my mantra.
Down with fluff and nonsense.
A brief history in five dot points
- Started out writing promotional copy for theatre companies
- Moved into online – UX in particular – helping users find things out and get things done
- Went in-house with one of the world’s most iconic brands – Virgin copywriter
- Freelanced for a bit – Virgin companies, Fairfax, charities, financial services
- Went in-house as the ING copywriter – foundation member of the in-house agency, creative lead
”Lisa is in my top three writers of all time. One of the best I’ve ever met, and still work with. Her ability to connect emotionally through her words is uncanny, and a powerful tool for brands.
Scott LawrieFounder, VoiceBoxed
Q & A
Does Lisa write things other than finance?
Yes. My focus is finance but I’ve done a load more. I’ve written about the environment with Greening Australia, telecommunications with Telstra, fundraising with many charities (including National Breast Cancer Foundation and Starlight Foundation), online dating with RSVP, air travel with Virgin, and rewards programs with Velocity.
Does Lisa give people financial advice?
My superpower is to translate finance-speak for everyone’s understanding. But that’s where my finance expertise ends.
Is WORDS for things just Lisa?
Yes, it’s just me behind the wheel. Though I can line you up with other amazing creatives – including specialist copywriters, PR people, designers, art directors and video editors.